1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to heating apparatus and particularly relates to a heating device for heating drums or other items arranged on a pallet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is often necessary to maintain the temperature of items stored in storage drums above a desired temperature. The drums may be exposed to excessively-cold temperatures on a loading dock, in a warehouse, or during transportation, requiring some form of barrier or temperature regulation.
For large storage drums, the drums are typically arranged in a square, four-drum pattern on a pallet. To protect the drums from excessively-cold temperatures, it is known to wrap one or more drums with a blanket or other material cover. These covers may also contain a resistive heating element for maintaining a minimum temperature. While these covers may be effective, they are bulky and, due to their exposed portions on the outside of the drums, may be damaged by contact with other items. Therefore, there is a need for a storage drum heater that is effective, convenient to use, and that is protected from damage during use.
A storage drum heater has an elongated housing and is typically used in a vertical orientation between storage drums arranged on a pallet. In one embodiment, the housing has closed ends and vertical sides that intersect four vertical, diagonal surfaces at their vertical edges. A column of holes is located in each diagonal surface, upper holes being axially spaced from lower holes. The housing contains a blower fan and a resistive heating element for heating air expelled by the blower. A battery is located in the housing and provides electrical power for operating the fan and the heating element. The fan draws air into the housing through the lower holes, then blows the air across the heating element and out of the housing through the upper holes, preferably into the V-shaped interstitial space between drums. Alternatively, the housing may have a circular lateral cross-section and may have as few as three columns of holes.